Thousands of people across Britain will mark International Worker’s Day with marches, rallies and strike action by NHS nurses.
The workers will be taking the streets in traditional May Day Events. Tonight, tens of thousands of nurses will launch their latest strike action over pay and against the government’s wrecking of the NHS.
What is May Day?
May Day, also called Worker’s Day or International Worker’s Day, is a day commemorating the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement. In 1889, an International federation of socialist groups and trade unions designated May 1 as a day in support of workers, in commemoration of the Haymarket Riot in Chicago. The Marxist Second International Socialist Congress met in Paris and established the Second International Workingmen’s Association. They adopted a resolution for a “great international demonstration” in support of working-class demands for eight-hour day.
What is the strike about?
The strike was initially planned to continue on Tuesday, but the 6-month mandate to strike given in the union’s previous ballot expires at midnight. “The government wants to bring NHS strike action to a close this coming week but with several big unions- and nursing as the largest part of the NHS workforce.
Why Nurses should strike?
Nurses are expected to take part in May Day celebrations tomorrow in addition to staffing picket lines. They were among more than 200 trade unionist who marched and rallied in Leeds trade. TUC president Jane Aitchison told the rally: “In 1890 Leeds and London held their first May Day marches and rallies. Following the march, Leeds Labour MP Richard Burgeon said: “International Worker’s Day is a celebration of our struggle as a class, the 99% who create the wealth of this country and keep services running.
It is important to stand in solidarity with all workers fighting for fair pay. And all workers deserve to be treated with respect. On May day workers look forward to maintain the fight in the year ahead. WhatsOn stands in solidarity with the workers movement.
